Hurry up and wait.
Basch fon Ronsenburg was used to it, but the ‘hurry’ part felt more pressing as he walked the streets of Rabanastre, a place he couldn’t feel welcomed in given the weight of King Raminas’s death on his shoulders. Not a death he caused, and yet, it weighed on him still as he walked alongside Ashe and Vaan, the two he had most harmed, however indirectly.
Balthier and Fran walked ahead, Balthier commenting, “…an interesting job on the boards, thought we could check in with Montblac about it.”
“Interesting?” Vaan moved ahead, “What is it?”
Balthier pulled a piece of parchment from his vest, and with a flourish, presented it to Vaan. Basch could see the design of an Archadian Ship on it, with a knife through it – or he assumed it was an Archadian ship, anyways. “It’s being offered by the Kajikia, a rather notorious pirate ship I’ve heard of. I’m sure you have, too, right?”
The light teasing of Vaan being a skypirate, at least, was nice. Vaan, however, shook his head, “I haven’t heard of them before. What are they offering?”
“That’s what I am uncertain about,” Balthier noted, “I am hoping Montblanc may know more.”
“That doesn’t look like a Clan Centurion mark.” Basch pointed out, reading a bit over Vaan’s shoulder to see a description of the one hiring for it, where they would be, but the only name didn’t seem like a person’s name. There was little information about what the job actually was.
“Astute,” Balthier said, “It isn’t,” and yet, they reached the Clan Centurio hall regardless, seeing several people milling about, drinking, and regaling each other with stories. A man with red hair was standing by Montblanc, gil passing from Montblanc to the man.
“Kupo! If you’re going to be around a bit, we have some marks in the area.”
The man shook his head, “I’m off to the Paramina Rift. Anything up there?”
“Actually!” Montblanc fluttered away, rifling through paperwork he had underneath the podium as Balthier stepped up closer, and peered around the taller red-head, so that when Montblanc turned around, he was briefly startled by the appearance of the skypirate. “Oh! Balthier! Kupo! What brings you all around here?”
“Questions on a job, but you can finish up,” he said.
Montblanc pulled out a picture of a white chocobo, “We’ve gotten reports of a white chocobo in the area – kupo! Might be just up your alley!”
“Hey – I’m taking that one,” one of the others in the area called up. “You can join, Max, but let’s talk.”
“Do we have to kill it?” Max asked, stepping down the stairs to join the hunter. Basch stepped aside to let him pass.
“What can I help with, Kupo?”
Vaan offered the sheet of paper he still had in hand, “Know anything about this?”
Montblanc scrutinized the paperwork, “This isn’t one of our marks, kupo.”
“We know, but we thought you’d see if you were familiar with it at all.”
Montblanc shook his head, “I’m afraid I’m not,” he said, “I would go to the Sandsea, kupo.”
Balthier sighed, “I was afraid you were going to say that.”
“Do we really have time for this?” Basch couldn’t help but ask, given all they were trying to do.
“We can decide when we hear more, no? We have little else to do at present but wait for more information, after all.”
“We need to be in a place to receive the information,” Basch reminded, but glanced to Ashe for her opinion.
“Let us hear this out.” Basch tried not to sigh. Her lust for revenge was likely tainting this decision, but he wouldn’t oppose it. “They should be at the Sandsea now, we can decide after we listen to them.”
“Smart thinking, princess,” Balthier applauded, “let’s go then.”
Basch allowed the pirates to lead once again towards the familiar Sandsea bar, milling with people, but it was somehow obvious who the one offering the job was. At least, it must have been to Balthier by the way he swaggered up to a table with a red-haired woman and settled the paper on it, the others following behind.
Balthier opened with a grin, “We hear you’re offering 5,000 gil a person for this job?” As he set the paper down, he pressed his knuckles down onto the table and leaned in, “We’re eager to hear more.”
~***~
Rabanastre, capital of Dalmasca, a city Liraz had visited a few times before to catch up with Clan Centurio. She was a rather low ranking member of it, rarely doing hunts herself, but often petitioning them. Today, however, as the light cruiser Quetzalcoatl landed in the airship dome of Rabanastre, she was not there to ask for help from Clan Centurio. She was there to meet Consul Vayne Solidor.
‘Or is it Prince?’ Her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands as she stepped off the ship just after Cidolfus Bunansa. Even in the hustle and bustle of the docking bay, Cid stood out in his red uniform and gait. He never looked down, but he did look around, look up, in a way that spoke not of a tourist but…well, Liraz couldn’t place it.
But it earned looks from others with the strange carefree carelessness with which he held himself.
It was that which caused her to hurry to his side, to make sure he stayed on path, as they left the Quetzalcoatl behind. A man walking about like that, who had a penchant of talking to his invisible friend, didn’t need to seem unescorted. Especially an Archadian man, after the attack here. “Have you been to Rabanastre before, Doctor?” Liraz asked, though she cast a glance back, green eyes skimming for another.
Maxence was behind, but not far, and he was hustling through the crowd to catch up. His mop of red hair made him stand out, the same way Cid’s coat did.
“Oh yes, plenty of times,” he said, “Do not worry, I know my way to the castle – not that it would be possible to miss.” As he said it, he turned his head. Maxence caught up with them, and touched Liraz’s shoulder.
“Hey, I’m going to hit Clan Centurio first,” they had agreed on that before arriving, “that’s still all right, right?” he had his own reasons for being nervous. He wasn’t there to be a part of the expedition, but to make sure the chocobos were ready. Traversing the Paramina Rift would require it, the airship itself could only go so far, after all. Even so, with his dreams of being a judge, he still wanted to make an impression.
“Oh go on, go on,” Cid waved him off, “we will not leave you behind here, I assure you. Those beasts need your hand, not mine,” his lips broke into a wide grin, “give Montblanc my regards, it has been a long while that I’ve used his clan. What rank are you now?”
“Headhunter, but only just. I have to turn in the evidence of slaying the liderc.”
“Oh ho! A liderc? That’s a rare find, frustrating little birds, though. Well, a reward well-earned, I am certain. Go on then,” and with that, Maxence rushed off through the crowd, bobbing in and out of sight as he pushed his way through, rushing to finish so he could return in good time.
Liraz let out a breath in a sigh, hardly realizing she’d been holding it. “I wonder if you would rather he not become a judge some days.”
“Coming from you?” Liraz arched a brow, “You lost Ffamran to that job.” Cid’s expression shifted, some of the humor dying out of it. She didn’t let it dwell there, “The judges we took with us couldn’t withstand Famfrit. These…dangers are only going to increase. There’s several more of them…I do not think we will talk all of them down with your Venat.”
Cid laughed at that, humor restored easily, “Perhaps, perhaps not,” he agreed as they left the airship dome, and Cid led the way to one of the moogling posts, where moogles offered easy transportation around the city.
Something Archades could benefit from, really. “To the South Plaza,” Cid said without any fanfare or real greeting. Liraz nodded.
‘Prince or consul?’
She should ask Cid, but the moogle was ‘kupoing’ and the energy of teleportation enwrapped them both. Her breath was stolen, as it always was, and when she appeared on the other side she reached out instinctively for the moogling sign and steadied herself there.
Cidolfus waited, amusement continuing to crinkle his green eyes, “Do you not use teleport stones frequently?”
“I prefer chocobos,” she admitted, straightening up, “unless I’m running late to work.”
“You practically sleep in the lab.”
“Exactly.”
Cid scoffed, as they made their way through the streets of Rabanastre. They stood out, her green and black dress too long, and covering too much, compared to the cut-out attire of Rabanastre. This didn’t use to be a problem, in truth – Archadians didn’t get hate two years before, but now, Liraz felt it. Even so, she kept her head up, and kept her attention focused on the palace, and not on the rabble that gave her and Cid disdainful glares.
Thankfully, Cid was recognized at the gate with a surprised, “Doctor Bunansa?” before he was allowed in, and she, able to follow in his shadow. There was quite a bit of commotion in the palace, given the orders for Vayne to be recalled to Archades; Doctor Bunansa and a researcher weren’t exactly expected to arrive, when Vayne would be going back to Archades.
Even so, they were taken to the Consul’s office amidst the aides running about. One of the Judge Magisters was in front of the door, “Aah! Judge Bergan, pleasure,” Cid greeted, and Liraz kept her expression neutral. Some things were obvious to her, but not others; Cid’s displeasure of Bergan was known to her, and it shone through his tone, despite the cheer he maintained, “Would you mind letting us in to see Vayne?”
‘Why can’t you use a title? Why?’ Now she really did have to guess. Given he was recalled, was Consul even appropriate? Liraz didn’t hear it had been officially stripped….
Judge Bergan didn’t even hesitate, stepping aside and pushing open one of the two doors. Cid ducked in, under the arm as Bergan was still opening it. Liraz waited until Bergan moved his arm so she could step in without ducking.
“Vayne!” Cid greeted, opening his arms in a friendly gesture, though obviously not stepping in for a hug or anything such as that as he looked over the office.
Clean.
Of course, Liraz couldn’t see Venat. Nor hear Venat. But Venat was there, silent at the moment.
“I hope you do not mind a detour,” Cid said as Liraz turned to shut the door, only to see Bergan already doing that, “before we return home. I would have written you, but I thought it more…prudent to speak to you. This is Liraz Belrune, my assistant,” he gestured towards her, and her attention quickly snapped to Vayne.
She bowed, “Cah—rince Vayne,” the attempt to say both ended up in that mess of a sound, though she hoped it sounded more like ‘Prince’. “An honor to meet you.”
Basch fon Ronsenburg was used to it, but the ‘hurry’ part felt more pressing as he walked the streets of Rabanastre, a place he couldn’t feel welcomed in given the weight of King Raminas’s death on his shoulders. Not a death he caused, and yet, it weighed on him still as he walked alongside Ashe and Vaan, the two he had most harmed, however indirectly.
Balthier and Fran walked ahead, Balthier commenting, “…an interesting job on the boards, thought we could check in with Montblac about it.”
“Interesting?” Vaan moved ahead, “What is it?”
Balthier pulled a piece of parchment from his vest, and with a flourish, presented it to Vaan. Basch could see the design of an Archadian Ship on it, with a knife through it – or he assumed it was an Archadian ship, anyways. “It’s being offered by the Kajikia, a rather notorious pirate ship I’ve heard of. I’m sure you have, too, right?”
The light teasing of Vaan being a skypirate, at least, was nice. Vaan, however, shook his head, “I haven’t heard of them before. What are they offering?”
“That’s what I am uncertain about,” Balthier noted, “I am hoping Montblanc may know more.”
“That doesn’t look like a Clan Centurion mark.” Basch pointed out, reading a bit over Vaan’s shoulder to see a description of the one hiring for it, where they would be, but the only name didn’t seem like a person’s name. There was little information about what the job actually was.
“Astute,” Balthier said, “It isn’t,” and yet, they reached the Clan Centurio hall regardless, seeing several people milling about, drinking, and regaling each other with stories. A man with red hair was standing by Montblanc, gil passing from Montblanc to the man.
“Kupo! If you’re going to be around a bit, we have some marks in the area.”
The man shook his head, “I’m off to the Paramina Rift. Anything up there?”
“Actually!” Montblanc fluttered away, rifling through paperwork he had underneath the podium as Balthier stepped up closer, and peered around the taller red-head, so that when Montblanc turned around, he was briefly startled by the appearance of the skypirate. “Oh! Balthier! Kupo! What brings you all around here?”
“Questions on a job, but you can finish up,” he said.
Montblanc pulled out a picture of a white chocobo, “We’ve gotten reports of a white chocobo in the area – kupo! Might be just up your alley!”
“Hey – I’m taking that one,” one of the others in the area called up. “You can join, Max, but let’s talk.”
“Do we have to kill it?” Max asked, stepping down the stairs to join the hunter. Basch stepped aside to let him pass.
“What can I help with, Kupo?”
Vaan offered the sheet of paper he still had in hand, “Know anything about this?”
Montblanc scrutinized the paperwork, “This isn’t one of our marks, kupo.”
“We know, but we thought you’d see if you were familiar with it at all.”
Montblanc shook his head, “I’m afraid I’m not,” he said, “I would go to the Sandsea, kupo.”
Balthier sighed, “I was afraid you were going to say that.”
“Do we really have time for this?” Basch couldn’t help but ask, given all they were trying to do.
“We can decide when we hear more, no? We have little else to do at present but wait for more information, after all.”
“We need to be in a place to receive the information,” Basch reminded, but glanced to Ashe for her opinion.
“Let us hear this out.” Basch tried not to sigh. Her lust for revenge was likely tainting this decision, but he wouldn’t oppose it. “They should be at the Sandsea now, we can decide after we listen to them.”
“Smart thinking, princess,” Balthier applauded, “let’s go then.”
Basch allowed the pirates to lead once again towards the familiar Sandsea bar, milling with people, but it was somehow obvious who the one offering the job was. At least, it must have been to Balthier by the way he swaggered up to a table with a red-haired woman and settled the paper on it, the others following behind.
Balthier opened with a grin, “We hear you’re offering 5,000 gil a person for this job?” As he set the paper down, he pressed his knuckles down onto the table and leaned in, “We’re eager to hear more.”
~***~
Rabanastre, capital of Dalmasca, a city Liraz had visited a few times before to catch up with Clan Centurio. She was a rather low ranking member of it, rarely doing hunts herself, but often petitioning them. Today, however, as the light cruiser Quetzalcoatl landed in the airship dome of Rabanastre, she was not there to ask for help from Clan Centurio. She was there to meet Consul Vayne Solidor.
‘Or is it Prince?’ Her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands as she stepped off the ship just after Cidolfus Bunansa. Even in the hustle and bustle of the docking bay, Cid stood out in his red uniform and gait. He never looked down, but he did look around, look up, in a way that spoke not of a tourist but…well, Liraz couldn’t place it.
But it earned looks from others with the strange carefree carelessness with which he held himself.
It was that which caused her to hurry to his side, to make sure he stayed on path, as they left the Quetzalcoatl behind. A man walking about like that, who had a penchant of talking to his invisible friend, didn’t need to seem unescorted. Especially an Archadian man, after the attack here. “Have you been to Rabanastre before, Doctor?” Liraz asked, though she cast a glance back, green eyes skimming for another.
Maxence was behind, but not far, and he was hustling through the crowd to catch up. His mop of red hair made him stand out, the same way Cid’s coat did.
“Oh yes, plenty of times,” he said, “Do not worry, I know my way to the castle – not that it would be possible to miss.” As he said it, he turned his head. Maxence caught up with them, and touched Liraz’s shoulder.
“Hey, I’m going to hit Clan Centurio first,” they had agreed on that before arriving, “that’s still all right, right?” he had his own reasons for being nervous. He wasn’t there to be a part of the expedition, but to make sure the chocobos were ready. Traversing the Paramina Rift would require it, the airship itself could only go so far, after all. Even so, with his dreams of being a judge, he still wanted to make an impression.
“Oh go on, go on,” Cid waved him off, “we will not leave you behind here, I assure you. Those beasts need your hand, not mine,” his lips broke into a wide grin, “give Montblanc my regards, it has been a long while that I’ve used his clan. What rank are you now?”
“Headhunter, but only just. I have to turn in the evidence of slaying the liderc.”
“Oh ho! A liderc? That’s a rare find, frustrating little birds, though. Well, a reward well-earned, I am certain. Go on then,” and with that, Maxence rushed off through the crowd, bobbing in and out of sight as he pushed his way through, rushing to finish so he could return in good time.
Liraz let out a breath in a sigh, hardly realizing she’d been holding it. “I wonder if you would rather he not become a judge some days.”
“Coming from you?” Liraz arched a brow, “You lost Ffamran to that job.” Cid’s expression shifted, some of the humor dying out of it. She didn’t let it dwell there, “The judges we took with us couldn’t withstand Famfrit. These…dangers are only going to increase. There’s several more of them…I do not think we will talk all of them down with your Venat.”
Cid laughed at that, humor restored easily, “Perhaps, perhaps not,” he agreed as they left the airship dome, and Cid led the way to one of the moogling posts, where moogles offered easy transportation around the city.
Something Archades could benefit from, really. “To the South Plaza,” Cid said without any fanfare or real greeting. Liraz nodded.
‘Prince or consul?’
She should ask Cid, but the moogle was ‘kupoing’ and the energy of teleportation enwrapped them both. Her breath was stolen, as it always was, and when she appeared on the other side she reached out instinctively for the moogling sign and steadied herself there.
Cidolfus waited, amusement continuing to crinkle his green eyes, “Do you not use teleport stones frequently?”
“I prefer chocobos,” she admitted, straightening up, “unless I’m running late to work.”
“You practically sleep in the lab.”
“Exactly.”
Cid scoffed, as they made their way through the streets of Rabanastre. They stood out, her green and black dress too long, and covering too much, compared to the cut-out attire of Rabanastre. This didn’t use to be a problem, in truth – Archadians didn’t get hate two years before, but now, Liraz felt it. Even so, she kept her head up, and kept her attention focused on the palace, and not on the rabble that gave her and Cid disdainful glares.
Thankfully, Cid was recognized at the gate with a surprised, “Doctor Bunansa?” before he was allowed in, and she, able to follow in his shadow. There was quite a bit of commotion in the palace, given the orders for Vayne to be recalled to Archades; Doctor Bunansa and a researcher weren’t exactly expected to arrive, when Vayne would be going back to Archades.
Even so, they were taken to the Consul’s office amidst the aides running about. One of the Judge Magisters was in front of the door, “Aah! Judge Bergan, pleasure,” Cid greeted, and Liraz kept her expression neutral. Some things were obvious to her, but not others; Cid’s displeasure of Bergan was known to her, and it shone through his tone, despite the cheer he maintained, “Would you mind letting us in to see Vayne?”
‘Why can’t you use a title? Why?’ Now she really did have to guess. Given he was recalled, was Consul even appropriate? Liraz didn’t hear it had been officially stripped….
Judge Bergan didn’t even hesitate, stepping aside and pushing open one of the two doors. Cid ducked in, under the arm as Bergan was still opening it. Liraz waited until Bergan moved his arm so she could step in without ducking.
“Vayne!” Cid greeted, opening his arms in a friendly gesture, though obviously not stepping in for a hug or anything such as that as he looked over the office.
Clean.
Of course, Liraz couldn’t see Venat. Nor hear Venat. But Venat was there, silent at the moment.
“I hope you do not mind a detour,” Cid said as Liraz turned to shut the door, only to see Bergan already doing that, “before we return home. I would have written you, but I thought it more…prudent to speak to you. This is Liraz Belrune, my assistant,” he gestured towards her, and her attention quickly snapped to Vayne.
She bowed, “Cah—rince Vayne,” the attempt to say both ended up in that mess of a sound, though she hoped it sounded more like ‘Prince’. “An honor to meet you.”